Last time, we defined repentance as a change of mind that results in a change of heart that results in a change of action. That is why real repentance is all about turning my life around. We focused on verse 10, where Paul says repentance leads to salvation.
For the unbeliever, repentance leads immediately to salvation from sin’s penalty and eventually from sin’s presence, since turning from sin to the Savior means I will miss hell and make heaven. For the believer, my daily practice of repentance, turning from sin and trusting in Christ, leads to my experiencing salvation from sin’s power. But though I will experience victories over specific sins in my life as a result of walking with Christ, I will also come to discover even more just how deep my sinfulness goes. We cannot draw near to a holy God without realizing the depth of our sin.
“If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” - 1 John 1:8-9 (NLT)
The Greek word for “confess” is “homologeo,” which means “to say the same.” The problem is that we don’t say the same thing about our sin that God does, and so we often make a pretense at repentance.
“We have preached the dignity of humanity rather than our depravity. We have declared our goodness rather than our wickedness. We have vindicated ourselves rather than confessed our guilt. We have made of ourselves, despite all of our inherent sin and evil, little cherubs of perfection with halos on our heads, harps in our hands and wings on our shoulders. Gone is the mourner’s bench, gone are the tear-stained cheeks of godly sorrow for sin and gone is the joy in heaven over wanderers returning to the Father’s house. None of us wants to accept blame for our sins. But either the Bible is wrong or we are wrong. When we look at the fruits of this unrepentant generation, I am convinced that we need to blow a loud blast on the trumpet of biblical repentance.” - Billy Graham
That’s what we are trying to do with this series on Real Repentance. Now today, let’s look to our text once again and give thought to what it teaches us about false repentance.
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Paul had made several visits to Corinth and had also written several letters, only two of which are preserved for us in the New Testament. Having read all the letters Paul had written to them, the Corinthians immediately understood what he was talking about when he refers to the “sorrowful letter” in verse 8. That letter was sorrowful because it caused both Paul and the Corinthians to sorrow. Paul had his regrets in sending this letter, because he knew at the time the pain it would cause them. He no more enjoyed causing them pain by this letter than a
parent enjoys watching a child suffer when he or she must be spanked. But he also knew that there was no other way to deal with their sin other than to expose and confront it with a letter of rebuke.
The result was that they became sorrowful over their sin and responded with real repentance, which Paul commends them for. But in so doing, Paul also speaks of a repentance that is false. False repentance is a
product of worldly sorrow over sin. What is worldly sorrow?
1. It is sorrow that is focused on self, not God.
King Saul conquered the Amalekites, but disobeyed God by sparing the king and the best of the flocks and herds. When Samuel confronted him, Saul admitted that he’d sinned (1 Samuel 15:24), but also made excuses. He said, “I have sinned, but . . .” (1 Samuel 15:30). His main focus saving face. He asked to be honored in the sight of the elders and that Samuel stay and worship the Lord with him before the people. He confessed his sin, but remained selfish to the end.
By contrast, when David was confronted by the prophet Nathan about committing adultery and arranging the death of her husband as a cover up, he confessed his sin saying, “I have sinned against the Lord” (2 Samuel 12:13).
“Worldly sorrow is more about feeling sorry for oneself than feeling sorrow for one’s sin.” - Anonymous
2. It is sorrow over consequences, not over the failure of sin.
In other words, it is sorrow for getting caught, not for falling short. A person exhibiting worldly sorrow would have continued down the path they were on if no one had noticed and confronted them about their sin.
Which is why, this kind of sorrow doesn’t lead to real repentance.
Instead of turning from their sin, they simply wait a while and then jump back into the same sinful pattern of behavior.
Jim Lewis is a Biblical Counselor at Pure Life Ministries and shares the following illustration from his experience of counseling men struggling with sexual sin. Two men come because their sexual sin has been exposed. Both have hurt their families. Both have lost their jobs. Both have suffered financial loss. Both have damaged their reputations. Their stories are identical. Yet their reaction is different.
The first cries out to God, beging for mercy, for his sins are an affront to God Himself. He pleads, not for himself, but for his wife and children. He knows the losses he has incurred have hurt others, but are the just due for his sins. He has a true change of heart, and hates the sin he once cherished. By faith he receives God’s forgiveness, and is cleansed and restored.
The second cries out to God also. He confesses his sins. He admits his wrongdoing. But he remains completely self-focused. He grieves over his losses. He bemoans the unfair treatment he has received. He demands justice. He has remorse, but for his own pain, and not for the pain of others. There’s no brokenness. Finally, he plunges into self-pity and despair.
Which of the two will go on to learn how to walk in victory his sin? Which do will eventually go back to his sin, and maybe go deeper? False repentance is characterized by worldly sorrow and brings death; but real repentance comes from godly sorrow and brings no regret!
“Repentance is like antiseptic. You pour antiseptic onto a wound and, at first, it stings. Then it heals.” - Tim Keller
Conclusion:
When Jesus was crucified, one of his disciples betrayed Him and one denied Him. Both sinned against Jesus (God). The Bible records how Judas and Peter responded when they realized their sin.
“When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. ‘I have sinned,’ he said, ‘for I have betrayed innocent blood.’” - Matthew 27:3-4 (NIV)
Most scholars believe Judas’ betrayal of Jesus was an attempt to manipulate the Lord into leading an uprising against the authorities. If so, it failed miserably.
The King James Version says, Judas “repented himself.” Which isn’t a bad translation. The word Matthew uses is metamelomai, which indicates Judas’ remorse was self-centered. Matthew didn’t use the common word for repentance (metanoia) used throughout the New Testament that refers to a change of mind that results in a change of heart that results in a change of action.
He had sorrow, but he was only sorry for himself that his plan didn’t work. Unable to live with himself or what others might think of him, Judas went out and hung himself (Matthew 27:5). His sorrow led to false repentance that didn’t result in real life-change, but only death.
By contrast, when Peter realized he had denied His Lord, he went out and wept bitterly (Matthew 26:75). Was his sorrow godly or worldly? When next we see Peter, he’s returned to his brothers. When he heard of the resurrection, he ran in search of the Lord against whom he’d sinned. Later, Peter was completely restored and went on to be mightily used of God by boldly proclaiming:
“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” - Acts 4:12 (NIV)
One’ sorrow led to death; the other’s to life. Worldly sorrow leads to false repentance; godly sorrow leads to real repentance.
When David repented of his sin that we spoke of earlier, he prayed:
“You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering. The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.” - Psalm 51:16-17 (NLT)
“Going through the motions doesn’t please you . . .” - Psalm 51:16a (The Message)
Is your walk with God genuine or pretense? Are you going through the motions, or do you have godly sorrow over sin? That’s what we need. So, how do we get a heart broken over sin? Ask for it. The Bible says real repentance is a gift from God. 2 Timothy 2:25 says God grants us repentance. And verse 26 says we need real repentance to avoid being used for the devil’s purposes. Nothing serves the devil’s purposes more than a church full of Christians going through the motions.
“How much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” - Matthew 7:11b (NIV)
